TikTokers are eating entire lemons in bizarre new trend and here’s why

TikTok users have been eating whole lemons and peels as part of a bizarre new food trend going viral on the app.

Short-form video app TikTok is filled with numerous quirky and bizarre trends that often go viral, influencing millions of people around the world to join in.

The latest one to take off on the platform is the ‘lemon snack’ craze, which hundreds of people have participated in so far. This food trend sees users eating whole lemons, including the peel, as a delightful treat, leaving many to wonder why.

TikTok’s viral ‘lemon snack’ trend explained

The lemons that people are eating as part of the trend come from an Italian company named Lemon Snack. This company specializes in producing a unique variety of lemons that are small, have low acidity, and feature an edible peel that is rich in antioxidants.

Unlike traditional lemons, which require peeling or are typically used just for their juice, these lemons are specifically cultivated to be eaten whole and enjoyed as a snack.

The trend popped off when TikToker lalaleluu, who boasts 5.6 million followers, posted a video where she tried these unique lemons after finding them in a local shop in Germany. Her clip racked up over 9.3 million views, with many commenters expressing interest in trying out the fruit snack themselves.

Unfortunately for those who want to participate in the craze, Lemon Snack’s specially cultivated lemons are not widely available in many parts of the world. However, some users are experimenting with regular lemons, attempting to replicate the experience shared by lalaleluu.

Content creator mahakhamidd couldn’t find the trendy citrus snack, but stumbled upon a “lemonquat” at her local farmers’ market, which is a “thinner, sweeter rind and pith than a regular lemon.” In her video, she sliced it and ate it whole, including the rind, and said she really liked it.

Another user, suciia333, said she “didn’t care” to hunt down the snackable lemons, but she encouraged her viewers to try “something better” — a regular lemon.

She sliced the zesty fruit into ultra-thin pieces, then topped it with a sliver of sushi pickled ginger before eating the tangy treat. “There’s something about this combination that just makes my eye twitch, and it’s so good,” the TikToker said in her video.

This viral food trend follows after another bizarre TikTok fad, which saw people using a broccoli head to add freckles to their faces.